


Bugging Out

by Fuzztacular



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-18
Updated: 2018-10-18
Packaged: 2019-08-03 19:41:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16332224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fuzztacular/pseuds/Fuzztacular
Summary: Raph couldn't quite handle the movie Mikey picked out and a bad night ensues for all involved.





	Bugging Out

Water flow from the showerhead abruptly cut off with a turn of the knobs.  Curtain thrown open, the bathroom was flooded with the thick mist usually present after a hot, muscle relaxing soak.  His mind continued to replay the rhythmic pounding of his punches and kicks as he thought through every move of his extended workout; his body toweled off on autopilot.  Emerging silently from the fog seeping out of the shower room, Raphael was brought back to the present by excited chortling coming from his most energetic brother.  

Upon spying the hot head, Michelangelo sprang towards him “Perfect timing, bro! We’re about to start movie night and you definitely don’t want to miss it; I picked the movie out just for you!”

Raph felt slightly paranoid at Mikey’s almost sing-song tone; but he rarely missed movie nights, and the smell of fresh popcorn quickly distracted him from any and all worries.  “As long as you share the popcorn, I’m there.”  Joining Leonardo on the couch, they watched Mikey pop in the VHS tape and fast forward through the advertisements, while waiting for Donatello to arrive with the snacks.  Once everyone was seated and the lights extinguished, the film started.  Raph’s eyes widened and he quickly stiffened with doubt when the title card appeared on the TV set.  “Arachnophobia” the screen mocked him.  Bugs, why did it have to be bugs?

Knowing this was coming; Leo glanced towards his obviously disturbed brother and quietly questioned, “Is this going to be a problem?”

The sound of his leader’s voice broke his trance and he scanned his brothers’ faces, making note of Mikey’s smug grin.  “No problem here,” Raph assured in a slightly higher pitch than usual.  The others exchanged skeptical looks but proceeded to turn their attention to the movie.  With his appetite suddenly gone, he had nothing to distract him from the horrors being revealed.  His flesh soon began to crawl but he knew he couldn’t wimp out and run; his brothers would never let him live it down, and God forbid if word of his surrender got to Casey.

He braved it through to the bitter end, although his skin was raw in many places from his almost constant, nervous scratching.  As soon as the credits started to roll, Raphael quickly stood and announced in a bit of a rush, “Well, I’m exhausted, goodnight,” before immediately exiting the area in favor of the safety of his room.  He knew he wouldn’t be sleeping anytime soon, if at all tonight, thanks to his phobia.  He also knew his fears would be exploited by the family prankster if he had stayed much longer.  Hastily swaddling himself in his blankets as soon as he got into bed, he tried convincing himself, “No bug can touch me if my entire body is covered, right?”  His mind wanted to wander to the fact that bugs could have been in his blankets before he got to them, but for his sanity’s sake he couldn’t allow those kinds of thoughts.  Mikey’s comment on the movie selection finally came back to him.  He knew his brother had been up to no good; why hadn’t he trusted his instinct?  Damn that Mikey, one of these days the little shell-head was going to push him too far.  His thoughts subtly shifted to the more pleasant endeavor of imagining ways to get back at the punk as he finally managed to drift off to sleep.

Raphael opened his eyes to his own dark room.  Stepping out he found the rest of the lair to be just as dark and oppressively silent.  That’s odd.  He was usually the last one up, “it must still be the middle of the night,” he tried to convince himself not bothering to check the time.  It was unfortunate though since he felt well rested and full of energy.  There was no way he was getting back to sleep; maybe another good workout was in order. 

He strode confidently through the dark towards the dojo, stopping suddenly in surprise at the dim light glowing from inside his desired destination.  He considered going back to his room to check the time on his phone.  His curiosity got the better of him and he decided to continue forward to see who else was awake.  Cautiously peeking his head around the corner, he was met with the familiar sight of Master Splinter’s back, surrounded by candlelight, obviously in meditation.  Raph paused yet again and debated whether or not to enter and risk disturbing his sensei.  Something didn’t quite feel right so he slowly approached.  “Sensei,” he gently inquired trying to capture his father’s attention.  When he received no response, he went around, kneeling in front of the meditating rat.  Finally settled, he looked up expecting the peaceful expression that would meet him.  With a panicked gasp, the turtle jumped back.  What the hell had happened to him?  His fur looked several shades grayer and unhealthy, but more horrifying was the way his eyes were sunk into their sockets and his skin clung to his bones, as if all muscles and liquid had vanished, just leaving a husk. 

Raphael felt he was about to go insane, this couldn’t be happening!  He had to get the others.  Dashing out of the room, he screamed, “Guys! Help! Leo, Mikey, Donnie!  Get out here now!”  He immediately heard movement coming from Donatello’s room and ran over, spewing “Thank God, the dojo, it’s Master Splinter!”  The genius’ eye widened and they both took off.  Raph paused behind their father’s body, not sure if he could handle looking at his decrepit frame again; he worriedly waited for his brother’s reaction. 

Upon seeing their sensei, Donnie fell to his knees in shocked grief.  “I don’t understand, this degree of decomposition shouldn’t be possible, he was acting normal and healthy just last night!”  Glancing up, he saw his brother would be of no help, shock and fear coating him.  Not believing his eyes, he reached his hand under his father’s nose to check for signs of breathing, of course there were none.  Standing and quickly striding to the other turtle, he realized, “Leo and Mikey aren’t up yet?”  Panic hit both of their eyes and they rushed to their leader’s room first, hoping he would have some miracle for them.  “Leo!” they both yelled, bursting into his pitch black room.  Raph closest to the light switch frantically clicked it on.  His blanket ripped half off his bed, Leonardo was lying in a contorted mess on the ground, his face frozen in a horribly tortured expression, skin pale.  Donatello urgently leaped forward to check his vital signs.  In a fresh batch of dread, he flew backwards, there were no vital signs.  “A seizure maybe, I don’t,” he was lost for words and a probable cause, his mind reeling a mile a minute.  “Maybe Mikey,” he whimpered, jumping up, and pushing past his still immobile brother.

 Hearing Donnie’s frenzied entrance into the other room and his subsequent strangled cry, Raphael’s blood ran cold as he forced himself into action.  “No, Raph!” was all the purple clad brother was able to get out before he was almost bowled over.  The temperamental turtle had never known such a fear as he did facing what lay before him.  Time ground to a halt as his eyes dragged over Michelangelo’s haggard corpse, shrouded in layers upon layers of spider web.  In his terror he backed into a wall and slid down it, unable to make a sound; huddling in a heap, his mind shut everything out.  Donatello inched forward in disbelief.  His brain was telling him not to bother checking this time, but his heart held the last shred of hope that maybe there would still be life left to save.  He noticed Mikey’s partially opened mouth was about the only part left uncovered, maybe he was breathing after all.  Hesitating for a moment, the nerd’s hand shakily moved with an uncharacteristic silent prayer to any deity that could possibly be listening.  It was as if the gods were against him though, for as soon as his hand reached its destination, a spider leapt from within the cold dead lips onto him.  With a scream he fell onto the floor next to his only living family member as the arachnid raced up his arm.  A second prior to its dripping fangs sinking into his neck, Donatello was able to put the puzzle pieces together.  This Spider would be the death of him just as it had been for the three previously departed.  He gasped out in tremendous pain, “You have to get out!”  He barely finished his warning before death throes wracked his body.

The last ninja turtle’s flight response finally kicked in and he was able to make it out of the room, then out of the lair.  In his hysteria he was clumsy, eventually tripping and unable to recover; he landed painfully.  Hunched over in a fetal position, Raph was paralyzed with fear.  The corpses of his family hovered before him in a macabre display.  Spiders of every shape and size began materializing from the nooks and crannies of their remains, creating a writhing mass that slowly and steadily advanced on his petrified form.

 Raphael jerked awake suddenly.  Wide with remaining panic, his eyes scoured the room.  It was his room.  He calmed slightly, but he had to know.  Where would he find his family?  Shakily he headed to the exit.  Before opening it he noticed light coming from under the door.  That was a good sign, right?  He moved into the bright TV room.  He could hear Donatello tinkering in his lab and he saw Leonardo talking with Master Splinter over tea in the kitchen.  Michelangelo was setting up one of his many game consoles when he glanced up and noticed his entrance. 

“Finally up bro?  I thought you were going to sleep all day!” called the mischief maker.  Raph stumbled over and plopped down on the couch.  With the closer vantage point Mikey was able to see the exhaustion practically pouring out of him, “Whoa, rough night?”

 “You don’t know the half of it,” the ninja in red grumbled rubbing his weary face. 

“Well, lucky for you, I know exactly what’ll help get you up and at ‘em today!” Mikey leapt to his feet tossing an extra controller on the couch next to Raph.  “How about helping me save Earth from an alien invasion?” he innocently asked.

“Ya know, that doesn’t sound half bad,” he agreed, reaching over for the electronic device.  Mikey sat a couple feet away and started the game.  After the developers’ logos flashed across the screen, the name of the videogame popped up.  “Earth Defense Force” Raph read.  “Don’t think I know this one.” 

“Really?  Well, you’ll love it!” Mikey assured letting a sly grin cross his face since his brother was focused elsewhere.  After choosing their characters, weapons, and a level, the game started.  As soon as the first enemies were spotted, the hot tempered turtle immediately dropped his controller with a roar and lunged for his snickering brother’s throat.  All out chaos ensued.  Mikey jovially challenged his pursuing brother “What, you don’t like ants the size of skyscrapers?  Or was it the spiders as big as a city block that got to ya?”


End file.
